Inspiring Lives Magazine Spring 2017: Issue 4 - Page 25

DR. JAMES O’TOOLE:
Surgeon’s Focus on the Individual Heals Bodies, Replenishes Spirits
By Jen Forsyth and Lydia Blank
Nationally renowned, double board certified plastic
surgeon Dr. James O’Toole is leading the way with the
finest patient care available. His initial consultation al-
ways begins with a listening ear and a thoughtful discus-
sion. While understanding his patient’s primary concern
is critical, he dives deeper to learn about their lifestyle,
hobbies, and daily routines to determine next steps. An
individual’s daily activities can impact the timing of the
procedure or which incision patterns might be used, and
it could dictate whether the person should have the pro-
cedure at all.
“The most important thing,” O’Toole explained, “is we
are extraordinarily focused on the patient. Not just their
outcomes, but on listening to what they really want and
helping them achieve their goals.”
Although he performs nearly every type of cosmetic
procedure, including non-invasive procedures like cos-
metic injections and chemical peels, his practice is best
known for breast cancer care. O’Toole was one of the first
plastic surgeons in the country to combine cosmetic and
medically centered surgical techniques, allowing breast
cancer patients to look better following mastectomy.
“If the patient looks good, they feel better, which
means they will heal faster.” He collaborates with sur-
gical oncologists to not only remove the cancer, but also
rebuild the patient’s body to look as good as possible fol-
lowing treatment.
Dr. O’Toole’s passion for his patients’ self-esteem
and personal needs developed when he was the plastic
surgeon chief resident at
Long Island Plastic Sur-
gery Group PC in New
York City.
There, he recognized the
scarring that many pro-
cedures, like conventional
mastectomies, leave be-
hind and was determined
to find a better way.
Upon returning to his
hometown in Pittsburgh,
Pa., Dr. O’Toole became
board certified with the
American Board of Surgery and the American Board of
Plastic Surgery. Today, more than a decade later, his pri-
vate practice is thriving.
No matter which procedure he performs, Dr. O’Toole
strives to minimize his surgical footprint. “I want all my
patients—whether breast cancer, melanoma, or even my
cosmetic patients—to look as natural and as much like
themselves coming out of surgery as they did going in.
The goal is to look like I was never there.”
O’Toole Plastic Surgery is located in the Shadyside
neighborhood of Pittsburgh. Dr. O’Toole has surgical
privileges at UPMC Shadyside, Magee Women's Hospi-
tal of UPMC, Allegheny General Hospital, West Penn
Hospital, and St. Clair Hospital. To learn more, visit
otooleplasticsurgery.com or call 412-345-1615. n
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